Will you be a Dodo bird or an Eagle?

Ever wonder what will be said about you at your funeral? Lots of people, especially as they get closer to the end of their lives, think about the legacy they will leave, and hope that they will be remembered for something good.

The Dodo bird went extint hundreds of years ago, in the 1600’s. Despite that, it has managed to be remembered to this day and most people are aware of the Dodo bird and it’s extinction.

Twenty years ago the American Bald Eagle was near extinction. When people became aware of how endangered it was, there was much talk of the beauty, the symbolism, the spirit that would be lost if it became extinct.

And therein is the difference and the lesson for us: the Dodo Bird is well remembered, becuase it could not fly and became extinct. It is famous for being extinct and not being able to fly. The potential loss of the Eagle worried people becuase of what would be lost to us.

It has been my experience that the biggest advocates of writing a will are adult children of parents who died without one. Family gatherings inevitably turn eventually to the mess of an estate that was left behind.

Family gatherings of individuals who left a will often include fond, touching, and funny remembrances of the deceased individual.

If you die with a will, no one will ever mention it again once the estate is settled, but if you die without one they will talk about nothing else whenever they talk about you.

Do you want to be remembered like the Dodo bird, for what you failed to do?